The Duke of Wellington on a Rearing Bay, Saber Raised, 1815

An original antique engraving, colored by hand, captioned "THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON." Wellington rides a bay horse with a dark gray mane and tail, rearing toward the left, and holds his saber raised forward in his right hand. He wears a black bicorne with a white and red plume, a scarlet coat with light blue facings and gold lace, a pale pink sash across the chest, several orders and stars on the breast, a crimson waist sash, white breeches and black boots. His saddle cloth is light blue edged with gold fringe. Behind the horse, on a low ridge in the distance, massed troops and cavalry are engaged. The face is worked in stipple.

No engraver's or artist's name is lettered on this plate. The publication line reads "London Published by Richd. Evans, Whites Row, Spitalfields, July 29.1815." Wellington commanded the allied army at Waterloo in June 1815, a few weeks before this plate was published.

The plate was issued for The History of the Wars occasioned by the French Revolution by William Nicholson, LL.D., printed in London for Thomas Kelly of 17 Paternoster Row. Its title page promises biographical sketches of the public characters of Europe, with an account of the Congress of Vienna, the escape from Elba, Waterloo and the exile to Saint Helena. The plates carry their own engraved publication line naming Richard Evans of Whites Row, Spitalfields, London.

The rearing horse and raised saber give the picture strong movement on a wall.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.